After departing the Ignis System, the Sperm Whale entered hyperdrive, bound for the Hermes System’s massive commercial colony, the ‘Transaction Hub.’
My cargo hold was empty. While it was a fundamental rule of space travel to haul goods whenever you moved, there wasn't a chance a war-torn planet like Ignis had anything worth exporting. Even if I’d found something, I likely would’ve been sucked into more trouble just trying to clear the paperwork.
Leaving that place behind was my top priority.
It would take about two days to reach our destination.
With six million credits in my pocket, I felt invincible... or at least, I wanted to.
“...This is terrible.”
I set my fork down at the simple kitchen table.
Before me sat an ‘Instant Pasta Kit’ I had unearthed from our food stockpiles. The package was printed with nothing but the words ‘Carbohydrate Noodles: Tomato Flavor.’ There were no flowery descriptions about it being al dente or having an authentic taste. While its honesty was refreshing, the flavor left everything to be desired.
The noodles were as spongy as rubber, and the included powder sauce tasted like saltwater dyed the color of a tomato.
“The nutritional value meets all baseline requirements,” Lucia chimed in. “I recommend you finish your meal.”
“Shut up. I don't just want to take in calories. I want to eat something that actually tastes good.”
I pushed the container away.
Could I really hold out until we reached the commercial colony? No, my stomach and my tongue were demanding something better... no, they wanted something exciting.
Fortunately, I had a secret plan.
“Lucia, unlock the Refrigerated Container.”
“Oh? The Cultured Meat inventory? I was under the impression you distributed the entire stock at the refugee camp.”
“Heh, I’m not enough of a saint to give everything away for free. I kept a few scraps from the edges for myself. Specifically, the pieces that were already well-grilled.”
I grinned as I pulled a Tupperware-like container from the unit. Inside were fragments of the ‘Rubber Meat’—the Cultured Muscle Fiber Block—that I had seared until fragrant on the griddle back at the camp.
Currently, the ship’s kitchen facilities only consisted of a faucet that dispensed hot water. Cooking raw meat would have been a massive chore, but if it was already cooked, I could work with that.
The setup was pathetic, inferior even to a kitchen in a cramped studio apartment, but I could manage a light simmer.
I reached into the cupboard and pulled out the ‘Makeshift Kettle’ I’d cobbled together from junk parts. It was a crude device consisting of a metal container with a heating coil forcibly attached to the bottom.
“Master, the use of that Unlicensed Heating Appliance is not recommended,” Lucia warned. “The insulation on the wiring is incomplete. The risk of electrical leakage or fire exceeds all acceptable safety limits.”
“Quiet. It works, and I’m the one using it. It’ll be fine.”
Ignoring Lucia’s perfectly reasonable warning, I drew my knife and began finely mincing the cold, hardened meat. It had a strange elasticity I’d never experienced before, but I managed to beat it into something resembling mince.
I tossed a splash of oil and the minced meat into the Makeshift Kettle and flipped the switch.
With a sharp sizzle, the meat began to warm. The fragrant aroma of trapped fat and charred edges rose into the air. Once the smell filled the room, I poured in the "terrible pasta sauce" from earlier.
“Are you using the instant sauce as a base?” Lucia asked.
“It works as a foundation. All it’s missing is richness, umami, and texture.”
The fat and flavor seeping out of the grilled meat dissolved into the thin, watery sauce.
If I’d had some dried vegetables or spices, it would have been perfect, but I didn't have anything that fancy on hand. All I had was meat and sauce.
But that was enough. I didn't need gimmicks. I was going to overwhelm that weak-willed sauce with the pure fat and umami of the meat.
I let it simmer for ten minutes.
The meat, which had already been cooked once, absorbed the liquid and softened up beautifully. In exchange, the sauce took on the savory power of the meat.
Finally, I tossed it with the noodles, which I had blanched using hot water from the dispenser.
“It’s done. My ‘Cultured Meat Ragu-style Pasta’... or something like it.”
Visually, it wasn't half bad. It looked like a proper brown meat sauce. Little grains of charred meat peeked through the sauce, whetting my appetite. I twirled a portion around my fork and took a bite.
“............”
By mincing and simmering it, the rubbery elasticity of the meat had transformed into a satisfying, meaty chew. I couldn't do much about the texture of the cheap noodles, but they were much more tolerable now that they were coated in a bold, savory sauce.
It was a simple combination of salt and animal fat. It lacked even a hint of delicacy, but with every bite, I could feel a warmth spreading through my core.
“...Phew. Yeah, this is edible.”
“Your evaluation seems modest,” Lucia noted.
“I’m not going to scream about how delicious it is. But compared to everything else I’ve eaten on this ship, this is easily at the top of the list.”
The flavor was mediocre at best. However, considering I was working with limited ingredients in a kitchen that only dispensed hot water, I’d succeeded. I had squeezed every bit of wisdom and ingenuity I had into this single bowl. Thinking of it that way, it felt more valuable than a full-course meal at some high-end restaurant.
At the very least, it was more than mere nutrition; it was a human meal. My empty stomach welcomed the heat and the fat.
“Not bad at all. Now that I’ve actually got some food in me, it’s time to start planning.”
While I chewed, I pulled up the catalog on my handheld terminal.
Ship renovations, new equipment, and hiring a crew.
My dreams were growing, but I realized my absolute top priority might be doing something about this "hot water only" kitchen.
The Sperm Whale cruised silently through the sea of stars.
I wondered what kind of delicacies awaited us at the ‘Transaction Hub.’
As I stared at the sauce remaining in the container, my thoughts drifted toward the gourmet meals I had yet to discover.
A modest home-cooking episode.
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